The only real challenging climb for me was out of the Terrapin watershed heading NOBO.Originally Posted by Two Speed
MOWGLI, thanks for posting BM's 1925 map, very interesting research. Thanks again.
"I told my Ma's and Pa's I was coming to them mountains and they acted as if they was gutshot. Ma, I sez's, them mountains is the marrow of the world and by God, I was right". Del Gue
I've kind of grown up on the Pinhoti trail since it's so close. I did the whole thing (Alabama and Georgia) 6 years ago as a warm up for some hiking out west. I've also done the southern sections of the AL trail multiple times. The trail's got potential, for sure. The southern part (oldest, most established part) is where most of the shelters are, but it's not like shelters are make or break for the trail. It's not quite as challenging as northern Gerogia, but it's got its moments.
Little Bear, that 17 mile loop you were talking about on page one of this thread (lol, yeah, I read the whole thing) is really nice. I assume you're talking about Adams Gap --> Chinabee --> Turnipseed. That's actually the first backpacking trip I ever did, and I've done it several times since then. The part from Chinabee to Turnipseed is my favorite as you often parallel Cheaha Creek and pass by several really nice swimming holes.
My take on it is that the Pinhoti trail is a nice trail in its own right. It deserves attention, care, and hikers! I don't care to see it made into an extension of the AT, but if it did become one someday down the road I wouldn't kick and scream too much.
Anyway, I'm sure the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce is happy. Whether they're successful at getting an official extension or not, they've generated a noticeable amount of press with this campaign, and have gotten the hiking community talking, and thinking about it. Who knows? Maybe some of you will plan trips to check this trail out? It's worth a look if you ask me...
Hungry Howie??
How'd you guess?
By the way, here's an image I took along the Chinabee Silent Trail last weekend. This is an area of Cheaha Creek known as Devils Den, which is a series of 7 small to medium sized (3-10 feet) cascades in close proximity. The locals prize this area for the great swimming. So do I. Unfortunately, in all the years that I have visited this area, this is perhaps the driest I have ever seen it. It's depressingly dry right now.
There's only about one other person on the planet that calls me Little Bear, and that's Sunnie. Do you remember her? Plus, I don't know anyone else named Jeremy from Alabama.How'd you guess?Good to hear from ya!
I'll be seeing Sunnie in California next month. She's picking me and my daughter up in San Francisco, hanging for a few days and dropping us off at Yosemite.
Yeah, I'd like to tackle that loop in the fall. It would be good to hike with you. Lets stay in touch.
Well, maybe you're a stronger hiker than I am. Or maybe I cranked up the daily mileage to compensate.
Care to comment on the effort required to combine the Pinhoti with the AT? Reblazing, publishing new maps, guides and data book, bringing the maintaining clubs into the ATC organization, etc. You may have a better perspective on that than the average.
Nah. It's not gonna happen. Connectivity is enough. Hikers should get out and explore the Pinhoti though. Especially in Alabama and the Cohutta. There is some great trail to be had.
Al-me '08
This is a rather late post for this topic but I want to add my name here for prosperity.
With the help of several friends and fellow geocachers in Alabama, I have thru-hiked from Alabama to Maine. My gratitude to Jim Brown, Steve Deboalts, Nancy Webb, Don Rice, the Gang from PHAH, and many Alabama geocachers.
My trip started with a small plan, $500 dollars and ambition to hike to Damascus for Trail Days after spending six months living at Alabama's Double Oak Mountain State Park. I like to add that info because my continuous 'living in my one-man tent' exceeded 14 months during which that entire period I stayed indoors at a place with lights & running water perhaps a dozen nights.
I started on the Alabama Pinhoti at Bull Gap at Hwy 148, ten miles east of Sylacauga Alabama, on Monday, March 17, 2008.
I hiked the 138 miles through Alabama joining the Georgia Pinhoti and then 142 miles through Georgia.
Near the Tennessee state line, at the end of the Georgia Pinhoti, I joined the Benton MacKaye Trail which I followed northward over 100 miles. Although the entire hike was an adventure, that remote BMT section was the only true adventure because it is mostly poorly marked or completely unmarked and is truly remote wilderness.
On the Benton MacKaye I joined the Appalachian Trail in the southern Great Smoky Mountains near the Fontana Dam
Endless miles and five months later I completed my thru-hike covering a total of 2,530 miles.
In Maine I picked up my bicycle and headed southward pulling my two-wheeled bicycle trailer loaded with the same gear that I had carried from Alabama. The bike and trailer were carried to Maine from Alabama by my friend, Steve; a geocacher better known as OldBoyHiker who hiked 50 miles of the 'Hundred Mile Wilderness" and climbed Mt. Katahdin.
on November 21, 2008, after six weeks and 1,750 miles I returned to the Birmingham.
There are more men that can say that have walked on the moon than can say that they have completed this round trip.
Warren AL-ME '08
aka gubbool
sounds like a good way to end a hike
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